Reflections on Guardians of the Galaxy 2

The Guardians of the Galaxy from the comic books were not the madcap bunch they are in the films. Coming on the scene in 1969 the guardians dealt with oppression, colonizing other planets and the near extinction of the human race. Rarely did they get a respite from trying to survive. But they did do an insurmountable amount of time travel where they often aided the Avengers in saving the present, though they were not always careful in protecting the timeline. Flash forward to 2014 and the continuing advancement of the Marvel’s cinematic universe. The introduction of Gamora, Starlord, Rocket Raccoon, Groot and Drax the Destroyer gave an intergalactic, light hearted flavor that was needed. This first film with the fab five also established that you don’t have to like each other to save the universe. In GOTG Vol. 2 the film starts off with the guardians saving a species, then turning around and insulting them. But there is more to this film than a series of escapades.

Starlord finds what he’s always wanted, but with a father named Ego you know things won’t turn out well. At ten years old Peter Quill was taken by Yondu and the Ravagers. The purpose was to bring him to his father. Instead Quill is raised to be a thief. Then there’s Gamora whose adopted father is Thanos. If you were to subtitle this film it would be your father couldn’t be worse than mine. Thanos abducted Gamora when she was a child and ensuring that she had nothing back to go to destroy her home world. Now she’s with a family who should have her back, but her past returns to haunt her in a deliciously, funny way. What you’ll get from this film is a continual stream of laughter, but similar to the first movie there is an undercurrent of melancholy, and terror. For Quill and Gamora they must face their past to be able to move forward. In finding his dad, Quill has a chance to claim his birthright. For Gamora she must come to terms with the family Thanos created for her. As dysfunctional as her relationship with Nebula is they are in a sense sisters. In all this there is Yondu. His story may be the most compelling and ties the theme of family together. As a result of his actions from the first film, he is now an outcast. Now a scab of the guild his need for redemption is the strongest.

If you have been a fan of the comic book version of these characters, know that there are a plethora of Easter eggs. At times they pop up where you don’t expect them to. Still it doesn’t mean that you shouldn’t wait until the end of the film to get some revelations. Like all the Marvel films leaving before the lights go on means you are not a true believer. Even the credits have a massive amount of information that may help you figure out how relevant this team will be in the infinity war films.

Overall, there will be moments that will make you think you have Pseudobulbar. Just when you’re laughing hysterically, you start crying as if someone ran over your dog then backed up to set fire to your house. Movies today rarely are action filled, heartfelt and make commentary on the male patriarchy, but somehow that’s what happened.

Donna-Lyn Washington

I’ve been the go-to person of obscure information that I’ve picked up from reading, watching movies and television and a fetish for 80’s-90’s music since I learned to talk. I enjoy the fact that for a long time I was the only one who knew that “Three’s Company” was a rip-off of the British Comedy “Man About the House.” Although I am knowledgeable on a multitude of subjects, my lisp and stutter would get in the way of my explanations and I could only save a dry-witty phrase for the written word – so I consider writing to be a path-working to fully express my ideas. Knowing the terror of formal writing, I currently teach at Kingsborough Community College in hopes of helping others overcome the fear that once gripped my heart as a speaker of words.

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I’ve been the go-to person of obscure information that I’ve picked up from reading, watching movies and television and a fetish for 80’s-90’s music since I learned to talk. I enjoy the fact that for a long time I was the only one who knew that “Three’s Company” was a rip-off of the British Comedy “Man About the House.” Although I am knowledgeable on a multitude of subjects, my lisp and stutter would get in the way of my explanations and I could only save a dry-witty phrase for the written word – so I consider writing to be a path-working to fully express my ideas. Knowing the terror of formal writing, I currently teach at Kingsborough Community College in hopes of helping others overcome the fear that once gripped my heart as a speaker of words.